Parents with children at Levenmouth Academy were left confused as they waited days to be told if the school would be open after strike action was suspended.
The union Unison announced on Friday it would be putting a new pay deal to its members who work in schools and early years buildings across Scotland.
This meant that industrial action planned for Wednesday, which would have closed schools across Fife, was cancelled.
But parents of Levenmouth pupils say they were left in the dark for three days over whether the school would be open or not.
Fife parents ‘confused’ over school closures
One mum told The Courier: “It’s been a bit confusing as the school announced by text on Friday it would be closed tomorrow and then later I read in The Courier the strike was off – but we didn’t hear any more from the school.
“I phoned them this morning and even the woman who answered seemed confused and said she didn’t know.
“However, it turns out it’s open and they’re sending a group text out today.”
An email was eventually sent out on Tuesday morning stating that the school would be open to pupils.
Shelagh McLean, Fife Council’s head of education and children’s services, said: “The message about the industrial action being postponed, and therefore all schools being open, was sent to Fife parents centrally rather than from individual schools, as schools were closed when we received confirmation.
“Only parents who have confirmed a current email address will have received the information in that way.
“Information was also updated on our website and in the local media.
“All schools should be open tomorrow as usual.”
Individual schools sent emails on Friday to alert parents of strike action.
But follow-up emails announcing they had been cancelled were sent from a central system.
This was due to the announcement coming late on Friday, after schools had closed for the day.
It meant not as many parents were contacted, as not all have subscribed to the central email system.
School strikes called off after new deal from Cosla
Unison was the only union to reject a previous pay deal when members originally voted to take industrial action.
The new deal from Cosla will be put to members who will ballot on it for the next few weeks.
Strikes on November 15 in Dundee, Angus and Perth and Kinross have also been called off.
